1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suturing device that is used by being inserted into a body cavity, and more particularly, to a suturing device that is used when suturing a perforation or the like formed in a lumen such as the stomach or the intestine with a suture thread having both ends fixed to an anchor.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, for the purpose of suture of perforations, lacerations or the like formed in a lumen such as the stomach or the intestine, there has been known a suturing device that uses a suture thread having both ends fixed to an anchor (see WO 2007-37326, for example). In the suturing device, the anchors on both ends of the suture thread are placed to be locked at the tissues around the perforation at the inside or outside of the tissues, and the suture thread is pulled so that the tissues locked at the anchors are tightened, thereby suturing the tissues.
In the suturing device disclosed in WO 2007-37326, two anchors are fitted to the inside of a needle at the distal end of the suturing device. The proximal end of the needle is connected to a slider fitted to a main body so as to freely move in a sliding manner. By advancing and retracting the slider with respect to the main body, the protrusion length of the needle is varied. The anchor is released by relatively advancing a pusher inserted into the needle so as to freely advance and retract with respect to the needle.